Drug use drops after ER visits used as ‘teachable moments’

(Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan) An emergency room visit for an illness or injury may seem like a strange time to try to motivate someone to cut back on using drugs. But a new study suggests that even a half-hour chat with a trained counselor, or a few minutes using a special tablet computer program with a 'virtual therapist', can turn an emergency room trip into the basis for a long-lasting drop in a person's substance use or misuse.